What to Expect
What time do we start?
Our worship gathering is on Sunday at 11 AM. We are more people-oriented than event-oriented so we rarely start exactly at 11. Sometimes we wait a bit for people to make it that we know will be a little late. So if you're late, know that you're still welcome and you won't be disrupting anything more important than the opportunity of seeing you. Our prepared gathering is usually finished around 12:30.
What is the order of things?
A typical worship gathering at Three Rivers consists of Family-style singing of worship songs and hymns, a time of Congregational Prayer, a Bible-based expositional Sermon, and an open discussion about the passage/ teaching afterward. It can not be stressed enough that this is a meeting of people that is being facilitated and not an event that is being produced.
What is the sermon like?
Our main way of teaching is expositional preaching. That is where you take a book of the Bible and you teach it verse by verse or thought by thought, all the way from beginning to end. We are dedicated to helping you understand the teachings of the whole Bible in a way that will strengthen your relationship with God, help you face the challenges of life, and equip you to live on mission to bring light and life into the world through Jesus Christ. The hope is that you are not met with a performance or a good talk, but rather a genuine follower of Jesus passing on some of the meaning and spiritual wisdom of the verses at hand.
What should I wear?
When you walk in you will most likely see people wearing anything ranging from Shorts and a T-shirt to a 3 piece suit. We aren't concerned with what clothes you wear. Some people put on more formal attire because it's a way they honor God while others wear what they would wear any other day of the week. Whatever seems right to you for gathering with the people of God, do that. Worshiping Jesus is an everyday thing, not a formal event.
What size are the gatherings?
We are a smaller church. Our gathering can vary anywhere between 12 to 40 people depending on work schedules and other things. We are not an attendance-focused fellowship. If you have to be gone here and there, or for a little while, we will miss you and we will hope to see you soon.
Do you a have Children's Ministry?
We love to sing with our children and you will often hear little voices praising Jesus while we sing. Jesus said let the children come to me; We are not bothered by little feet wandering, or little voices crying out. That being said, we know it's often difficult to have small children sit through a teaching that is oriented toward Adults. We have a room set up for children ages 5 and below that is not currently being used regularly. We would love to start something if the need is there and the passion to serve in that way is present.
How do you handle Communion?
On the first Sunday of every month, We have a Lord's Table celebration and a Potluck lunch after. We put aside our current teaching series to remember the Lord Jesus' sacrifice and the life we have in Him. Any follower of Jesus who is present with us is gladly accepted to participate, and parents can use their discretion regarding their children taking the bread and the cup.
The Potluck meal is also open for anyone who can stay, bring something to share if you can, and have a meal with us.
Do you do anything mid-week?
We have a Backroom Bible Reading on Thursday Nights at 6:30 PM. During this time we gather around the Word like friends gather around a meal. We read a chunk of the Bible one chapter at a time pausing to discuss it together asking questions and exploring how this applies to our lives. This is NOT a Bible Study where you have a curriculum or teaching pre-prepared to get through. This is an open discussion with the Scripture as the main course. Anyone with honest questions and a hunger for Bible fellowship is welcome.
We also have a vision for home-group gatherings called Missional Communities that would meet during the week in the diverse local areas represented by our congregation. These have not launched yet, but we are moving in that direction.
Our worship gathering is on Sunday at 11 AM. We are more people-oriented than event-oriented so we rarely start exactly at 11. Sometimes we wait a bit for people to make it that we know will be a little late. So if you're late, know that you're still welcome and you won't be disrupting anything more important than the opportunity of seeing you. Our prepared gathering is usually finished around 12:30.
What is the order of things?
A typical worship gathering at Three Rivers consists of Family-style singing of worship songs and hymns, a time of Congregational Prayer, a Bible-based expositional Sermon, and an open discussion about the passage/ teaching afterward. It can not be stressed enough that this is a meeting of people that is being facilitated and not an event that is being produced.
What is the sermon like?
Our main way of teaching is expositional preaching. That is where you take a book of the Bible and you teach it verse by verse or thought by thought, all the way from beginning to end. We are dedicated to helping you understand the teachings of the whole Bible in a way that will strengthen your relationship with God, help you face the challenges of life, and equip you to live on mission to bring light and life into the world through Jesus Christ. The hope is that you are not met with a performance or a good talk, but rather a genuine follower of Jesus passing on some of the meaning and spiritual wisdom of the verses at hand.
What should I wear?
When you walk in you will most likely see people wearing anything ranging from Shorts and a T-shirt to a 3 piece suit. We aren't concerned with what clothes you wear. Some people put on more formal attire because it's a way they honor God while others wear what they would wear any other day of the week. Whatever seems right to you for gathering with the people of God, do that. Worshiping Jesus is an everyday thing, not a formal event.
What size are the gatherings?
We are a smaller church. Our gathering can vary anywhere between 12 to 40 people depending on work schedules and other things. We are not an attendance-focused fellowship. If you have to be gone here and there, or for a little while, we will miss you and we will hope to see you soon.
Do you a have Children's Ministry?
We love to sing with our children and you will often hear little voices praising Jesus while we sing. Jesus said let the children come to me; We are not bothered by little feet wandering, or little voices crying out. That being said, we know it's often difficult to have small children sit through a teaching that is oriented toward Adults. We have a room set up for children ages 5 and below that is not currently being used regularly. We would love to start something if the need is there and the passion to serve in that way is present.
How do you handle Communion?
On the first Sunday of every month, We have a Lord's Table celebration and a Potluck lunch after. We put aside our current teaching series to remember the Lord Jesus' sacrifice and the life we have in Him. Any follower of Jesus who is present with us is gladly accepted to participate, and parents can use their discretion regarding their children taking the bread and the cup.
The Potluck meal is also open for anyone who can stay, bring something to share if you can, and have a meal with us.
Do you do anything mid-week?
We have a Backroom Bible Reading on Thursday Nights at 6:30 PM. During this time we gather around the Word like friends gather around a meal. We read a chunk of the Bible one chapter at a time pausing to discuss it together asking questions and exploring how this applies to our lives. This is NOT a Bible Study where you have a curriculum or teaching pre-prepared to get through. This is an open discussion with the Scripture as the main course. Anyone with honest questions and a hunger for Bible fellowship is welcome.
We also have a vision for home-group gatherings called Missional Communities that would meet during the week in the diverse local areas represented by our congregation. These have not launched yet, but we are moving in that direction.